Road Atlanta June SCCA Nationals

[Dennis Murray]

I haven't posted anything from an event I went to cover lately for several reasons....one being I'm not shooting motorsports much lately and two I've felt really stale shooting the same cars (more or less) at the same track.

Set out to get back to basics and try a couple of new things Sunday.

Comments, C&C welcome...

1
http://www.dmurrayphoto.com/images/ap20070603/070603135218359.jpg

2 Sigma 20/1.8 stopped down to f22, 1/60. I debated on crop and rotation a lot...and left it as I shot it.
http://www.dmurrayphoto.com/images/ap20070603/070603143030509.jpg

3
http://www.dmurrayphoto.com/images/ap20070603/070603144512142.jpg

4
http://www.dmurrayphoto.com/images/ap20070603/070603155950359.jpg

[Chris Clark]

I.... I've felt really stale shooting the same cars (more or less) at the same track....


I hear you there brother!

Looks like you did a nice job. #3 is great, as is #4. Thats something I wish NASA had was an open wheel class....

Good job Dennis.
-chris

[Jeff Boerio]

I like #3, but wish it were pulled back a tad to get all of the #22 driver's side in the picture.

#1 is interesting, but seems a little soft.

#2 and #4 are good on my list.

Jeff

[Tim Hulme]

I like number 1 a lot, but feel the focus should be slightly more toward the front of the car, should also look sharper that way. Also the crop is a touch tight behind.

Number 2 is great, a bit too much near embankment but don't think losing the bridge is worth the crop.

3 is super, just too tight on the right, but you know that.

4 is a keeper!

[Doug DeVetter]

Assume you are selling these to participants....I'd buy 'em!

Nice job. I recently drove at a track day and went in thinking that I would buy an image or two....possibly the entire CD. Images were the ssssaaaaaammmmmmmmmmeeeeeeeeeee old safe shots as usual. All of them! Yuk.

I love #1 and #2 and #4 are keepers.

[Dennis Murray]

Thanks for the comments all.

I was a little borderline on #1 whether it had enough sharp. It's a fairly quick part of the track, and the cars are moving away from the camera as well as up the hill at the same time - so theres a lot of dimensions going on all at once. I was consistently panning well Sunday at 1/125 (like clockwork really) but much less at 1/60 (where #1 was). I have a few "interesting" 1/30 and 1/40 shots but I was 50/50 on them.

#2...I played with the angles trying to find a good crop. I'll call the concept a work in process that I'll try again. I didn't shoot (this shot) from the other side of the bridge because I wanted to try and keep the curvature in the track. I'll have to decide whether the trees or bridge should be a horizon here.

#3...I thought it was the best of the sequence overall in terms of action. My framing off the camera was a little off (maybe I was anticipating the Celica backing off a bit) but this shot has had people on message boards talking about the race (and the shot). Showroom Stock is momentum racing - so shooting 10a/10b was the right move here coming off the longest straight. Here's the full sequence through the corner...for those unfamiliar with Road Atlanta it's a 90 degree left right combination coming off the back straight. Slower cars need to come out of 10B fast to get a decent jump going up the hill to 11 and back down to 12 and through start/finish (the second longest straight). This was lap 17 of 18...300/2.8 with 1.4TC:
http://www.dmurrayphoto.com/images/ap20070603/thepass.jpg

#4...My keeper rate on tight pans went up 100%+ after buying a 300/2.8 1.4TC combination. (My old lens was a 100-400/4.5-5.6). The AF on the lens is spectacular.

I sell to participants...strictly through the web post events. So far this year sales are so-so....I think the cost to get to the track has gone up significantly over the past several years and people might be cutting where they can. It would be nice for more people to buy than they do....